The Toy Book (TTB): How have you seen consumer expectations change over the past decade?

Laura Zebersky (LZ): Over the past 10 years, the convergence of toys and entertainment has been unprecedented. Consumers have come to expect both online and offline experiences from their favorite brands. It’s not enough anymore to create a new toy. Stories, videos, and other content are needed to really engage kids and toy fans of all ages. This leads into another big change: If you want to reach consumers today, traditional formulas from years ago need to be augmented with strategies that include communication across multiple social platforms. Kids are engaging in new ways with different types of media; they might interact simply by sharing images and video of exciting new toys on various social channels or become avid fans and essentially create celebrities on YouTube. They want the whole experience, and the brands of tomorrow will have to provide it in accessible and innovative ways to stand out from the crowd.[Read more...]

Jazwares has been named a recipient of the 2014 Toys “R” Us Vendor of the Year Award. Toys “R” Us distributes the annual award to business partners that have helped the retailer become a resource for kids, families, and fun. [Read more...]

Jazwares has signed the master toy rights for FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment’s pre-school series, Tree Fu Tom. Under the terms of the deal, Jazwares will take on the role of global manufacturer and distribute a new range of toys in the UK, Asia, North America, and Latin America. A variety of distributors will manage the range in other key territories. [Read more...]

Jazwares LLC has launched the new Flick-to-Stick Bungees product line. They offer a unique play pattern that gives kids multiple ways to play by aiming their Bungees at scoring targets, and then flicking their finger.

Bungees features a battleground arena, disk launchers, playing cards, and scoring disks to enhance game play. All 48 Series 1 characters are now available at major retailers, including Toys “R” Us and Walgreens across North America.

Dan Sugrue has joined Jazwares LLC as its UK sales director, and will lead the London-based sales force at retailers across the region. Most recently, Sugrue served as business manager for Flair Leisure Products Ltd.

The news follows the recent announcement of an investment by Allegheny Capital Corporation, and marks the company’s continued global growth and firm commitment to the expansion of its UK operation.

Judd Zebersky, CEO and president of Jazwares, commented, “Jazwares has grown significantly over the past number of years by delivering high quality, must-have toys and consumer electronics to children worldwide. As we pursue our next stage of growth, we are enthusiastic to partner with ACC given its unique long-term perspective and history of backing entrepreneurial management teams.”

It’s summertime, which for a lot of kids means playing outside in the sunshine, swimming, and maybe even going on trips to visit nature. But for others, summer means staying indoors and playing video games all day. It’s probably best to moderate any activity that involves staring at a screen; however, the question is, how to get video game-obsessed kids to take up a different form of play? The answer may be toys based on popular video game titles, and there are quite a few of those available right now.

We kick off our non-comprehensive list with K’NEX, which since 2010, has partnered with Nintendo on construction toys based on its popular Mario property. Recently, I spoke to an executive at the company, who said that no small part of the partnership’s success came from replicating game elements in K’NEX’s construction sets: For example, many of its Super Mario building sets have a mechanism that simulates the avatar’s in-game jumping ability. [Read more...]

It’s been a good year for superhero comics on TV, what with the success of DC Comics’ Arrow and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., not to mention the planned fall arrivals of The Flash and Gotham. But let’s not forget the animated side of small screen super-heroics, as the second season of Teen Titans Go! premieres next month. The series resurrects Teen Titans, which aired during the mid-to-late 2000s, as something wackier and anarchic. Both shows are based on the long-running comic book of the same name, which is centered on some of the best-known teenage characters in DC’s pantheon.

Along with everyone’s favorite young sidekick, Robin, the cast includes Starfire, Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy. While adept at defeating evil-doers, Teen Titans Go! more often depicts them hanging out unsupervised at their team headquarters, at which point trouble worse than any super-villain tends to break out. The series is a fun romp, not to mention a good antidote to the spate of more serious, live-action superhero adaptations of late. Teen Titans Go! is currently licensed by a number of toy companies, with items for collectors, young kids, and everyone in between. But in all cases, the property’s lighthearted attitude shines through. [Read more...]

Jazwares has created a new Gravity Falls toy line based on the popular Disney TV series. The line-up will include figures, plush, role-play, and play-set toys, and the first wave will see release this fall at retailers across the U.S.

The initial retail focus of the toy line will be in specialty stores nationwide. Currently, Gravity Falls is a top-rated show on Disney Channel among kids ages 2 to 11 and 6 to 11, and tweens ages 9 to 14. It follows the adventures of Dipper and Mabel Pines, twins spending the summer with their eccentric great-uncle Stan in the town of Gravity Falls, Oregon, where things are never as they seem.

New Products

Buffalo Games will develop adult and family board games and card games based on the National Geographic Channel series, Brain Games. The Joester Loria Group served as the exclusive licensing agency behind the deal. The initial product offering will require that players complete a series of challenges and experiments intended to test all aspects of [...]

Two familiar faces from the Marvel Universe—one friendly, the other slightly less so—make their way into Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes (2.0 Edition) today. Fans will be able to purchase figures for Falcon and Loki, who join a variety of Marvel super heroes, Disney fan favorites, and more to create all-new adventures.

LEGO Ninjago: Shadow of Ronin is available now from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, TT Games, and The Lego Group. Available in all major retail stores across North America for the Nintendo 3DS and the PlayStation Vita, the game is based on the LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu TV series.

In anticipation of the new movie, Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, Funko is will be re-releasing previously vaulted Star Wars Pop! until the film arrives in theaters on December 18. The re-released Pop! will come in special edition packaging that distinguishes them from the original items. Available in stores this April, Greedo is [...]

Playability Toys has officially launched Pigsy, an educational gaming app that teaches basic financial literacy. Later versions will include unique personalization features intended to make learning engaging and fun.